§ 18-58. Powers and duties of the department of human services.

(a)

The department of human services shall:

(1)

Receive and investigate complaints and initiate its own investigations of racial, religious and ethnic group tensions, prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and disorder occasioned thereby.

(2)

Receive, initiate, investigate, pass upon and attempt to conciliate all complaints alleging discrimination, segregation or separation in employment, public accommodations or public housing because of race, religion, color, sex, physical handicap, national origin or ancestry and other grounds prohibited by law or ordinance.

(3)

Apply to the district court through the unified government chief counsel, after a complaint has been filed, to enjoin any violation of this article.

(4)

Apply to the unified government chief counsel for enforcement of any conciliation agreement by seeking specific performance of the agreement.

(5)

Receive and investigate complaints and initiate investigations of discrimination against any person. If it is found that such discrimination is within the jurisdiction of the unified government but not within the jurisdiction of the commission, it may refer to the state commission on civil rights or to the equal employment opportunity commission.

(b)

The department of human services may hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, take the testimony of any person under oath, and, in connection therewith, require the production of any evidence relating to any matter under investigation or in question before the department of human services. In the case of the refusal of any person to comply with any subpoena issued hereunder or to testify to any matter regarding which the person may be lawfully questioned, the municipal court may, upon application of the department of human services, order such person to comply with such subpoena and to testify, and failure to obey the court's order may be punished by the court as contempt.

(Code 1964, § 11-41; Code 1988, § 18-41; Ord. No. 54685, § 1, 3-4-1976; Ord. No. 63888, § 1, 5-25-1982)